Entertainment

Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

Tomorrow’s Carnival Belles

Torrington May Fair Carnival Queen, Mrs Doreen Mills of Langtree, surrounded by her attendants, will lead tomorrow evening’s carnival procession at Torrington.

She is seen here in the centre with her attendants – Miss Rosemary Mitchell, Petrockstowe; Miss Pamela Barkwell, Shebbear; Miss M Watkins, Little Torrington; Miss Jean Moore, Weare Giffard.

Rehearsing For Their Great Day

The young May Queen, Josephine Squire, and her retinue take part in a rehearsal last weekend for their leading parts in yesterday’s celebrations at Torrington.

With her is the crowner, Caroline Bastin, and her attendants Angela Vanstone, Lesley Folland, Sally Darch, Lynn Jury, Susan Copp, Jennifer Lock, Sandra Davis and Trudy Hobson. Boys have an equally important part to play in the ceremony but as their uniforms were still awaited the two heralds, Raymond Drayton and Kenneth Cobbledick, are not in the photograph.

Gazette article dated 2 May 1958

Hartland's 100th Carnival

Hartland’s 100th Show Worthy Of Occasion

Hartland Garden Society’s centenary show on Saturday was in every way worthy of the occasion. Exhibits were numerous and, despite the drought, of good quality, and the supporting programme was popular with the crowd. Even the weather was perfect, although heavy showers in the morning, which broke the long dry spell, had caused the organisers some anxiety. Hartland Town Band gave the show a good start by leading from the Square to the Playing Field a parade that included the Tetcott Foxhounds.

A popular innovation was the Devon police dogs.

There were many sideshows – including horseshoe pitching – to occupy those whose interest in the sports programme flagged. But almost everybody was there to watch the final of the tug o’ war contest between the ‘Hartland Featherweights’ and a team of visitors the ‘Ducksberry Quacks’. Game though the latter were, they were no match for the locals.

In the presence of a large crowd, which included show president Sir Dennis Stucley, and Lady Stucley, Lady du Cros presented the chief awards. Flower show judges were Miss M Allin, Mrs J Davie, Mrs E Hemmel, Mrs J M Salter, Messrs A Bantin, P T Beer, J Johns, L H Mott, W G Prideaux and S R Westcott. Cups and specials were won as follows: Mrs D Bomford’s rose bowl and blue ribbon, R H Beckley; Sir Dennis Stucley Cup, R H Beckley; J Prouse Cup, D Webber; Mrs C Dayman Cup, D Webber; E H Cross Cup, C Avis; P Minet Rosebowl and cash, R H Beckley; cash, Mrs A Pethick; F Johns Cup, L Middle; L J Middle Cup, Mrs G M Hill; W D Barrow Cup, Mrs W J Slee; A W Jeffery Cup, Mrs O M Harris; A Dayman Cup, Alan Downie; E Johns Cup, Lorraine Slee; vouchers, L Middle, R H Beckley, D Webber; Premium Bond, Mrs O M Harris; special, E Short.

First prize winners: E Short, D Webber, L Middel, C Westlake, H Squance, Mrs M Hobbs, T Nichol, H Shute. Fruit and flowers; D Webber, Mrs S Colwill, Mrs E Short, C Westlake, Mrs A Pethick, J Boundy, Mrs F Johns, Mrs C Ackland, H W Ellis, Mrs A C Avis, Mrs J Williams, D Bond, Mrs S Heard, Mrs R H Beckley, T G Kelland, Miss M Daniel, Mrs M C Avis, D H Williams.

Hand-knitted garment: Mrs H Glover; Mrs G West; Mrs O M Harris; Mrs G H Hill; Miss R Hooper, Mrs H Daniel.

White eggs, Mrs W J Slee; brown eggs, Mrs Conibear; tinted eggs, Mrs M Heard; cut rounds, Mrs H Daniel; sausage rolls, Mrs P Heard; pasty, Mrs M Hobbs; sponge, Mrs P Heard; packed lunch, Mrs W J Slee; jam, Mrs M Harris; wine, Mrs A Burrow; bread, Mrs W D Conibear; cake, Mrs A Burrow; biscuits, Mrs G M Hill; chutney, Mrs R Hooper; ginger cake, Mrs H E Heywood; Victoria sandwich, Mrs W J Slee; cherry cake, Mrs W Shute.

Art, Chris Heard, Tim Heywood, Wendy Metherall; clay modelling, Lindsay Higgins, Nigel Symons, Sally Heywood; wearing apparel, Nicola Slee, Lorraine Slee, Shirley Heard; fancy work, Lorraine Slee, Deana Pengilly, Lindsay Higgins; craft work, Lorraine Slee, Denise Short, Alan Vanstone; miniature garden, Alan Downie, Linda Downie, Barry Shute; wild flowers, Sally Heywood, Linda Downie, Johnathan Slee.

Gazette article dated 1 August 1969

Teenagers’ New Rendez-Vous

Pools winner tires of quiet life

Big pools winner, Mr John Jury, stood in his almost-completed juke-box café at Torrington on Saturday and told a Bideford and North Devon Gazette reporter: “There is absolutely nothing in this town for ‘teenagers – or anyone else for that matter.”
“It’s getting worse” he went on. “At this rate the place will soon turn into a village. Perhaps this juke-box café will help brighten the town. This will be the only juke-box in the district.”
For the past two months 45 years old Mr Jury, of Calf Street, Torrington, has been working on the conversion of an old bicycle shop in Well Street into his café.
It is nearly two years since Mr Jury won £20,000 on a football pools. In that time he has been living a quiet life. He gave up his mason’s job, bought a car, re-decorated his house, and settled down quietly with his wife and two teenage daughters.
But he became tired of his routine and, partly because his elder daughter, Avril, was looking for a job as a shop assistant, he made the decision to rent the Well Street premises and turn them into a café.
The full Gazette article is dated 28 March 1958